The Boston Red Sox's spring training opened on the morning of Feb. 14 when pitchers and catchers reported to Fort Myers to get working on their form for the upcoming season.
But even before all the players showed up, it started on a sour note.
The excitement of spring training — the sights and sounds of another summer of MLB action on the horizon — put the thoughts of the Red Sox's failed offseason and broken promises into the back of fans' minds. But Craigh Breslow brought them right back up as he answered media questions on Tuesday.
"We can appreciate that things haven’t come together in maybe a way that I anticipated," Breslow said.
Sox fans may consider this the understatement of the century.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow concedes that the offseason has not gone the way he expected
Red Sox Nation entered the offseason with high expectations for the team and justifiably so — the standard was set by the front office itself, after all. Fans heard over and over again that the men in charge were planning to improve the team with few financial limitations, that starting pitching was a priority, and that finishing another season in last place was unacceptable.
Fast forward three months and ... nothing's changed. No ace has been signed. Tyler O'Neill was Boston's solution for the outfield issues. The Red Sox are rumored to be seeking trades for bullpen arms to shed payroll, which they simply do not need to do to be competitive.
Breslow, justifiably so, has been able to avoid much criticism for the way this offseason has played out. Most of the blame has been placed on ownership for its blatant greed and abuse of fans' trust.
But Breslow also admitted that there's still time to make things right.
We're joined by Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow LIVE from Fort Myers: https://t.co/Wuiq9waw2h
— Red Sox (@RedSox) February 13, 2024
"We've talked about the vision dictating the moves and not the other way around," Breslow said. "We're going to remain engaged. There are some really talented players still available on the free agent market, so we need to be, kind of, responsible and sensible."
Breslow's statements don't guarantee a move and few Sox fans have enough hope to believe a big acquisition is coming down the pipe. But Netflix's cameras are rolling at spring training for the upcoming docuseries focusing on Boston's 2024 season. The Red Sox's every move is being filmed from now until the campaign ends.
If Breslow and ownership truly believe they fumbled this offseason, signing a high-profile player like Jordan Montgomery could save the season in fans' eyes and the coming Netflix series in the eyes of the front office. It's so hard to believe that this is the offseason and roster the Red Sox want recorded and remembered forever.
While spring training started on a rough note for the Red Sox like the entire offseason before it, Breslow knows that there is still time to meet the front office's earlier promises.
Whether or not they'll actually do it is another story entirely.